​It’s a question I suspect many of us secretly wrestle with when we’re thinking of putting ourselves or our brands out there. But equally there’s a solution that I want to share.
 
That fact is people buy people, so like it or not, if you want to connect with your audience you need to make the shift from feeling like you’ve got little to offer, to knowing that what you’ve got to share will be heard.

​Several things have brought change to the finance sector, directly and indirectly, that have now set up a real opportunity for Super Funds to come out into the open and take a leadership role in the community:

• The continuing shakedown of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry has all but sidelined the banks as community leaders, but left most Super funds, the non-profit ones anyway, largely untarnished

​Something very cool is emerging in the commercial world. Brands are beginning to lead on some big, juicy issues. Some might say that’s because of the vacuum of leadership that exists at a government level in many key countries around the world. But that is underestimating the power of the people and in particular the new generation of power consumers. 

​Bravo Alan Joyce for passionately defending big business’s right, in fact obligation, to speak out on social and environmental issues. But I’m confused as to the Government’s position. They seem to have a tin ear on what the clear majority of consumers want from business. ​This debate has been early page news in the Fairfax daily’s of recent weeks, but I just don’t get what’s in it for the Government to try and muzzle business.

​When was the last time you took a call on your phone without knowing who it was? How many ‘cold’ emails do your respond to, that’s if they get through your spam filter. Put up your hand if your using ad blockers on your browser. How’s your enthusiasm for FB ads in your feed? The reality is, traditional sales and marketing channels are stalling, new channels are narrowing. We are simply becoming less trusting of uninvited interruption.